Poinsettia plant `13-86`

ABSTRACT

Described is a new Poinsettia cultivar, designated `13-86`, which is a vigorous, self-branching Poinsettia of medium height. `13-86` is distinguished by its large, bicolored pink on white flower bracts, and relatively large number of cyathia and bracts, which give the flowers a full appearance. `13-86` originated as a color sport of the red-bracted cultivar described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

`13-86` is a vigorous, self-branching Poinsettia of medium height andlarge bicolored, pink on white flower bracts. There are relatively largenumber of cyanthia and bracts, giving the flowers a nice fullappearance. `13-86` has self-branching traits which make it desirablefor branched plant production. It can be flowered in a relatively coolgreenhouse, making it economical to grow commercially.

This new poinsettia cultivar originated as a color sport of the redbracted cultivar described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492, in a greenhousein Duisburg, West Germany. This pink on white sport has all theself-branching traits and other desirable growth characteristic of thecultivar of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492. After selection, vegetativelyreproduction of this plant by stem cuttings for test purposes inDuisburg, West Germany, and clones of the plant were subjected tosuccessive generations of vegetative propagation which demonstrated thatits pink on white bract coloration and other distinctive characteristicshold true from generation to generation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

`13-86` is illustrated in the accompanying color photographs. The upperphoto is a side view of typical unbranched plant in full flower. Thelower photo is a top view of a plant showing flower and bract formation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of this new Poinsettia asobserved in Encinitas, Calif., during December, 1987. Observations wererecorded from flowering plants, grown as 3 unpinched plants per pot. Thepot was 14 cm. in diameter and 11 cm. in height. Color designations werecompared to the 1986 edition of the R.H.S. Colour Chart, first publishedin 1966 by The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England.

THE PLANT

Origin: Sport of the cultivar described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492.

Classification:

Botanic.--Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Common name.--Poinsettia.

Cultivar name.--13-86`.

Form: Shrub.

Height: Medium.

Growth habit: As a single stemmed plant, upright and vigorous. In fullflower, the stem in terminated by a large inflorescence, with severalsmaller flowering side shoots lower on the stem. Observation of 3 plantsin a pot with an overall height of 40 cm. and an overall width of 46 cm.were made. The bract diameter of individual flowers was 32 cm.

Branching: Branching can be enhanced by removal of the stem tip. Then,several flowering branches with equal vigor may develop on a singleplant.

Growth rate: Very fast. Rooting of stem cuttings occurs in 12-18 daysunder intermittent mist. The plant will flower in about ten weeks undercontinuous long night conditions and night temperatures of about 16-18degrees C.

Foliage: The foliage is clean and uniformly green from bottom to top ofthe plant. The leaves are of medium size, leaf blades typically beingabout 13-15 cm. long and about 8-9 cm. wide with leaf petioles about 5-6cm. long.

Leaf shape: Typical leaves are ovate with obtuse bases and acuminatetips. Leaf margins are mostly entire with some modest lobing andundulation.

Color:

Upper side.--Darker than RHS 147A.

Under side.--Near RHS 137C.

Retention: The foliage retention is good even under low lightintensities in the consumer's home.

Bracts: Generally there are 27-30 pink on white bracts of various sizessubtending the cyathia. The primary bracts have blades typically 14-16cm. long and 10 cm. wide with petioles about 4-5 cm. long. The bractsare somewhat rugose, more so than the parent plant (U.S. Plant Pat. No.5,492) which only show a mild rugosity.

Shape: Bracts are ovate to mostly obovate with bases acute to mostlyattenuate and tips acuminate to cuspidate. Primary bracts are mostlyentire; some with modest lobing on either side of the bract. Bracts aregenerally longer relative to their width when compared to the parentplant (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492).

Color:

Upper side.--White with pink marbling. White near RHS 155A, pink nearRHS 51C. The pink coloration occurs in the center of the bracts alongeither side of the mid-vein, with the white variegation being at thebract margins.

Under side.--White between RHS 155A and RHS 150D, pink near RHS 51C.

Cyathia: Generally, 21-24 cyathia (flowers) are present when the plantis in "full bloom". Each cyathium is about 6-7 mm long and about 5-6 mmwide, green in color, fringed with yellow at thedistal end, unlike theparent plant which has a creamy white fringe. Usually, two bright yellownectar cups protrude from the sides of the cyathia. The flower pedicelis also green and about 5-6 mm in length. The anthers protruding fromthe cyathia are white, unlike the parent plant whose anthers are red.

What is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia cultivar,substantially as herein shown and described, distinguished by its large,bicolored pink on white flower bracts, and relatively large number ofcyathia and bracts.